Method of and apparatus for moccasin toe forming

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for forming a pocket in a vamp prior to the vamp&#39;&#39;s being sewn to a plug in the manufacture of true moccasintype footwear. The method includes stretching of the vamp beyond its elastic limit generally in the sole line, and heat setting the stretched portion to hold the stretch such that a pocket-like portion is formed in the vamp corresponding to the sole area. Apparatus for performing the method includes means to secure the vamp adjacent the sole line from lateral movement during the stretching operation, means to effect relative vertical displacement between the clamped areas to accomplish the stretching of the vamp and heating means to accomplish permanent deformation of the material beyond its elastic limit.

United States Patent [191 loannilli [451 Ju1y3, 1973 METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS FOR MOCCASIN TOE FORMING [75] Inventor: Joseph R. loannilli,Beverly, Mass.

[73] Assignee: USM Corporation, Boston, Mass.

22 Filed: Nov. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 198,604

[52] US. Cl. 12/142 MC, 12/1 M Primary Examiner-Patrick D. LawsonAttorney-Richard B. Megley, Howard R. Berkenstock, Jr. et al.

[57] ABSTRACT Method and apparatus for forming a pocket in a vamp priorto the vamps being sewn to a plug in the manufacture of truemoccasin-type footwear. The method includes stretching of the vampbeyond its elastic limit generally in the sole line, and heat settingthe stretched portion to hold the stretch such that a pocket-likeportion is formed in the vamp corresponding to the sole area. Apparatusfor performing the method includes means to secure the vamp adjacent thesole line from lateral movement during the stretching operation, meansto effect relative vertical displacement between the clamped areas toaccomplish the stretching of the vamp and heating means to accomplishpermanent deformation of the material beyond its elastic limit.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDJUL 3 ms 3.742.543

sum 1 w 2 Inventor Joseph Rfoannz'llz' KH 7 B7 his Attorne 2L. KELM 9METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MOCCASIN TOE FORMING BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates generally to improvements inmethod of manufacturing composite articles of footwear such asmoccasins. As herein used, the term moccasin is understood to mean ashoe in which a vamp (a part of the upper) underlies the wearers foot,particularly in the toe area, and is joined by a seam to a toe coveringplug. In the composite article the vamp portion underlying the footgenerally forms a sole portion. In the toe area of moccasins the vampprogresses from the sole portion to upstanding sides or walls andterminates at the seam margin, adapted to be there joined to the plug.For purposes of definition that region where the vamp turns up from soleportion to sides or walls is designated the sole line, and'the regionimmediately adjacent thereto is the sole line region. When the moccasinis lasted, the sole line corresponds to the feather edge of the last.

Conventionally, moccasins have been hand assembled on a last by atedious, time-consuming process requiring considerable individual skillupon the part of the worker. In the conventional process, a thoroughlymulled vamp is stretched progressively over the last as its edge or seammargin is joined to that of a plug during the hand sewing of themoccasin toe seam. In the conventional hand sewn seam (a two-threadthroughand-through seam) each of the two threads passes through a stickhole and then alternately over the surface of the plug end of the vamp.Individual skill is necessitated because the seaming not only joins theparts but also stretches the vamp and plug over the last to give themoccasin its shape. Since uniformity of product is desired, and thereare unavoidable variations in the leather of vamps and plugs, the makermust exercise great care, which renders the operation timeconsuming andexpensive.

Because of the high cost of hand sewn moccasins, the lack of uniformityof product, and the lack of durability of the moccasin seam, manyattempts have been made to mechanize the production of moccasins. Ingeneral, however, these attempts have not gained commercial acceptancefor a variety of reasons, e.g., complexity and, thus, high cost of themachinery; lack of reliability of machinery; and general inability ofthe mechanization to duplicate the general appearance and form of thehand sewn/lasted moccasin.

Substantial progress has been made in the development of method andapparatus for lockstitch sewing the vamp to the plug. These developmentsare disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,530,808 dated Sept. 29, 1970 and US.Pat. No. 3,538,527 dated Nov. I0, 1970, both to Joseph R. loannilli. Bythese methods and apparatus, the

vamp may be sewn to the plug starting with both parts in a flatcondition and forming a three-dimensional pouch progressively as theedge of the vamp is joined by the seam to that of the plug. In thesewing, the longer edge of the vamp is puckered to match the length ofthe shorter plug. As disclosed in the above patents, after thecompletion of the sewing operation, the moccasin assembly (vamp andplug) is stretched on a last to give it shape, and, thereafter,finishing operations are carried out in a conventional manner.

In spite of these significant improvements, the toe pouch thus formed inthe vamp does not have the fully onto the last for the subsequentfinishing operations.

Since the pouch is sewn in an unstretched" condition, it must besubsequently lasted to complete the manufacture. It has been found inlasting the sewn parts that it is difficult to cause the seam and pouchofthe composite article to assume the conventional fully uprightcondition atthe seamline of the vamp and plug on the last.

A further problem existing in the mechanized production of truemoccasins is the achievement of the uniformly puckered vamp at the seamwhere the vamp is joined to the plug. The uniformly puckered seamforming the customary upstanding ridge around the toe is a universallyrecognizable characteristic of a mocca- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It isan object of the method and apparatus of the invention to form a pocketin a workpiece such as a vamp utilized in moccasin-type footwearconstruction. This pocket is located in the area corresponding to thesole portion of the vamp, generally in the toe area ahead of the ballline and is formed by stretching the vamp material beyond its elasticlimits in the general region of the sole line. The stretching of thematerial around the sole line region causes the marginal unstretchedportion of a vamp to be generally upstanding after the stretching andthus identifiable as the upstanding sides in the composite article. Theapparatus of the invention for per- DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1is a pictorial view of footwear of moccasin type construction.

FIG. 2 is a'pictorial view of a lasted moccasin.

FIG. 3 is a partial view in elevation of the toe area of amachine-stitched moccasin toe lasted without being prior toe-formedaccording to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in'front elevation, partially in sectionshowing the die structure of the machine of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are progressive views illustrating the forming of moccasinparts according to the method of the invention.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingsin general and in particular FIG. 1, reference number 10 generallyindicates a true moccasin assembly including a vamp l2 and a casins plug14, seamed together as at 16 conventionally by a lockstitch. In theconventional hand manufacture of moccasins, the vamp is backseamed as at18 and placed upon a last prior to the seaming at 16 (FIG. 2). Vamp 12is then hand sewn along seam 16 to plug 14', being pulled over the lastL (as shown in FIG. 2) in the toe area 20 in a stitch-by-stitch process.As each stitch 22 is formed a pucker 24 is coordinately formed in thevamp at the seam margin 23 to draw the longer length of vamp at the toedown to that of the plug. As the composite is formed, the vamp gains theidentifiable shape .of a moccasin having upstanding sides 25 terminatingat seam margin 23. Sides 25 meet the sole portion 26 at a sole line 27.The necessity of prior forming a pouch-like depression in the toe areaof the vamp was unknown in conventional hand sewing of moccasins. Inhand manufacture the vamp was coordinately pulled, stretched-formed andpuckered in the tedious stitchby-stitch hand sewing indulged in by theworker, i.e., built up on the last.

It was not until the advent of mechanized true moccasin constructionthat a need was realized for a prepared vamp, one in which a pouch-likearea was formed. This new advent of machine stitching of vamp to plugand subsequently lasting it for the remaining processes of manufacturesuch as sole attaching disclosed the necessity of additional distinctsteps for manufacturing. In the method of manufacture of mocdisclosed inthe loannilli US. Pat. No. 3,538,527, one problem became evident in thesteps required to proceed from the sub-manufacture illustrated in FIG. 3of that patent to that illustrated in FIG. 4 therein.

As disclosed in that patent, prior to inserting a last (FIG. 2) into themoccasin (FIG. 3), the interconnected vamp and plug are preferablysubjected to a mulling operation. This procedure enhances the materialss final shaping and stretchability during lasting. However, since boththe vamp and the plug are mulled in the disclosed mechanizedmanufacture, both are capable of substantial stretching and shapingduring the above mentioned lasting. Because of this capability, thelasted assembly often became improperly oriented, as illustrated in FIG.3 of this disclosure. As the last L is inserted, plug 14 may bestretched at 30 coordinately with vamp 12 at 32, resulting in the seamline 16 occurring at 34 such that the toe area is incorrectly shaped Ito give the conventional moccasin appearance. As may be seen from FIG.3, the plug at 30 is also stretched causing seam 16 to be orientedcloser to the sole line 27, and the plug at 32 is not sufficientlystretched. A properly lasted moccasin would have an upstanding seammargin 23 and be generally formed as indicated by the dotted lines at35. i

The present invention overcomes the above-stated shortcomings found inthe method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,527. The present methodenhances that method by forming the vamp 12 by the subsequentlydisclosed method and apparatus prior to exercising the manufacturingmethod of the cited patent. Coordinately with the overcoming of the seamorientation problem, it was also discovered that the condition of seammargin 23 subsequently seamed at 16 could be worked to enhance theuniformity of puckering at 22.

, Since the seam 16 is machine done, it was found that a presoftened anddrawn seam margin 23 could be more uniformly gathered as at 22.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, reference number 40 indicatesapparatus for toe forming a moccasin vamp prior to its being seamed to aplug as illustrated in FIG. 1. The apparatus includes cooperating diestructures 42 and 44 which may be operated to form the desired pouch ina vamp. In the embodiment illustrated, a generally convex die 42 ismounted in forming machine 40 for reciprocal movement in a verticaldirection on the lower frame 41. Die 42 may be actuated by fluid motormeans, well known in the art and not shown. Die 42 includes a raisedportion 46, being generally semicylindrical and having a marginalportion 48 conforming to the marginal shape of the feather edge of amoccasin last. Disposed on flat surface 50 of portion 46 of the die 42are holding means such as pins 52. In its initial operating position inmachine 40, surface 50 of die 42 is aligned with a workpiece supportingtable 54 disposed upon the forming machine 40.

In the embodiment illustrated, surface 50 of convex die 42 is adaptedwith a rib 53 disposed generally along die margin 48. Rib 53 is of aheight sufficient to gener ally raise or hold a vamp 12 off the surface50 during the forming operations subsequently described, yet stillpermit pins 52 to secure sole portion 26 from lateral movement.

Disposed opposite convex die 42 on upper frame 43 is concave die member44 having a cavity 56 which is complementary in shape to die member 42.Die member 44 in the illustrated embodiment is mounted upon base 58 of aheat conductive material such as aluminum. In the preferred embodiment,base 58 contains a bore 60 and a heating element 62. Disposed belowmember 44 on the underside thereof is a clamping plate 64. In thepreferred embodiment, plate 64 is cut out to conform to cavity 56 suchthat the combined depth of the cavity and the cutout plate is at leastequal to the desired degree of stretching of vamp 12. In the instance ofa machine 40 capable also of working the seam margin of a vamp, thedepth of cavity must be sufficient to enable the margin 23 to becompletely drawn into the cavity 56. This condition is illustrated inFIG. 7 and subsequently described.

Base 58 is mounted on a carriage 66 capable of movement from an open orloading position as illustrated in FIG. 4 to a closed or operatingposition as illustrated in FIG. 5. Carriage 66 may be manually operated,as by a handle 68 and cooperable with a suitable holddown device toprevent opening of the die during the operation sequences of themachine. The carriage may also be automatically operated, as by knownmeans such as fluid motors and sequencing controls.

In operation, a moccasin vamp 12 is inserted into machine 40 on table 54as illustrated by the dotted lines in FIG. 4, being generally centeredso that the intended sole line is aligned with margin 48 of die 42. Vamp12 is placed on worktable 54 over die 42 with the outside or bottom sideup so that the pocket is subsequently formed so that sides. 25 may bedeflected out of the plane of sole 26 toward the upstanding sideposition.

Upper frame 43 is closed on lower frame 41 as illustrated in FIG. 5 sothat vamp 12 is clamped between plate 64 and workpiece supporting table54 generally adjacent seam margin 23 and the intended sole line 27. Whenframes 4l.and 43 are closed in this position, cooperating die members 42and 44 are vertically opposite each other such that die 42 may bereceived in die 44 and plate 64.

With vamp 12 firmly held between plate 64 and table 54, die 42 is raisedtoward cavity 56 to a first position, as illustrated in FIG. 6. As die42 raises, holding pins 52 pierce vamp 12, securing the sole portion 26generally over die surface 50, with the intended sole line 27 contouredto margin 48. Further vertical movement of die 42 toward the firstposition causes the vamp 12 to stretch or become formed in the generalarea adjacent sole line 27. It should be noted that in moccasin toeforming the stretching is generally restricted to that area adjacentsole line 27 at the forward part of the toe and between portion securedby plate 64 and margin 48. In the region of the ball line which occursgenerally to the rear of the raised portion 46 indicated generally at47, the vamp 12 is unclamped. In this region some stretching and formingof the vamp occurs, however, to a lesser degree than in the forward areaat 20. By so varying the amount of forming in the toe and ball areas ofthe vamp, a pocket is formed in the vamp 12 having a maximum of depth inthe toe area 20. Also, sides 25 become generally upstanding around toe20. After seaming vamp 12 to plug 14 as shown in FIG. 1, last L may bereadily inserted into the composite moccasin as shown in FIG. 2 and soleline 27 will readily align with the feather edge of the last.

In the preferred practice of the method, heat is applied to thestretched vamp 12 to set the fibers in the leather. This setting quicklydries the mulled vamp in the stretched area so that the fibers in thevamp material retain their stretched relationship and the newly formedvamp is permanently held to its shape. In addition to the heat suppliedgenerally through the heatconductive dies 42 and 44 from a source suchas element 62, it has been found advantageous to concentrate theapplication in the sole line region. By adapting the die 42 with a ridge53 the setting heat is concentrated at the sole line in the region ofdeformation. With concentration of heat in this region, the set isaccomplished more quickly and with less exposure of the rest of vamp 12to the drying effects of heat. It is undesirable to dry the remainingportions of a vamp in this initial stage of moccasin manufacture. Thecomposite article (plug and vamp) must be pulled over a last subsequentto various seaming operations where additional forming or contouring ofthe moccasin occurs. Were the plug and vamp prematurely set, the laterfinal forming of the article on the last would not occur, resulting inan inferior moccasin.

In a preferred practice of the method the formed vamp 12 in FIG. 6 issubjected to further leatherworking operation of machine 40 in FIG. 7.Upper frame 43 is'raised vertically an amount sufficient to release thevamp clamping action between plate 64 and table 54, as shown at 70. Die42 is then further advanced vertically to a second position asillustrated in FIG. 7.'ln this step the vamp edge 72 isadvanced,preferably fully into the die cavity 56 from the dotted position. Thisfurther movementof the vamp edge 72 drawing it into die cavity 56 causesa foreshortening of the perimeter of the vamp at edge 72. The effect ofthe shortening of edge 72s perimeter causes it to gather or pucker alongedge 72, which is also the area of seam margin 23. This effect is quiteadvantageous and useful in the subsequent seaming of the vamp 12 to aplug 14, since, as previously discussed, the vamp is puckered orgathered during the stitching process. The formed vamp having a workededge 72 may be mechanically seamed by the method and apparatus of thepreviously mentioned patents to give a uniform seam of puckeredappearance traditional to the hand sewn moccasin. I

It should be noted that a preferred embodiment of the method andapparatus of my invention has,been shown and described. It is apparentthat other adaptations and modifications may be made without departingfrom the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim a new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In the manufacture of footwear of moccasin type construction whereinthe composite article in the forepart area includes a vamp having a soleportion, an upstanding side portion which meets the sole portion aroundthe toe area in a sole line region and a seamreceiving margin along theedge of said upstanding side portion and a toe covering plug having aseamreceiving margin adapted to be seamed to said vamp along saidseam-receiving margin, the method of shaping said vamp prior to saidseaming, comprising: securing said vamp from transverse movementgenerally adjacent said seam margin along said side portion and adjacentsaid sole line region, securing said sole portion from transversemovement generally adjacent said sole line margin; and, laterallydisplacing said side portions relatively of said sole portion,stretching said vamp beyond its elastic limit generally in the unsecuredsole line region, thereby deforming said vamp such that upon releasingsaid securing means said side portions are generally upstanding and apocket-like depression is formed in said sole portion.

2. The method according to claim 1 including the step of heating saidvamp to assist setting said vamp in said deformed condition.

' 3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the heating of said vamp isgenerally restricted to the sole line region.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein stretching of said vampoccurs between two cooperatively shaped die members, one generallyconcave and the second generally convex including the step of drawingsaid vamp into said concave die at least up to said seam marginsubsequent to said stretching, flexing and drawing said seam margin downand thereby foreshortening saidseam margin.

5. Apparatus for forming a selected area of a generally flat workpiecesuch as the toe area of a moccasin vamp, comprising: a work supportingtable; die means disposed in said work table corresponding in shape tothe selected area of the workpiece to be formed; means for securing saidworkpiece against said work table; carriage means movable relative tosaid work table; second die means disposed on said carriage meancomplementary in shape to and movable relatively toward and away fromsaid first die means; means for securing said workpiece from transversemovement on said second die means; and, means for sequentially actuatingsaid securing means against said work table and said carriage meanswhereby said workpiece is clamped on said table relative to said diesand a predetermined lim- I ited area of said workpiece is subsequentlysubjected to the action of said cooperable die means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said die means disposed insaid-work table has a marginal portion shaped to correspond to thefeather edge of the toe area of a moccasin last and said securing meansis adapted to clamp said workpiece to said table generally adjacent saidmarginal portion.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one of said die means isgenerally concave and the other said die means is generally convex andsaid convex die is disposed within said apparatus in an operablerelation so as to carry said selected area of the workpiece to be formedinto the concave die whereby said workpiece is deformed and stretchedadjacent said marginal portions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said convex die means includesa generally raised flat portion thereon within the area defined by saidmarginal portion and has means disposed thereon for securing saidworkpiece generally from transverse movement on said raised portion uponcontact therewith whereby in the sequence of operation of said apparatusthe deforming marginal portion corresponding to said feather edge.

1. In the manufacture of footwear of moccasin type construction whereinthe composite article in the forepart area includes a vamp having a soleportion, an upstanding side portion which meets the sole portion aroundthe toe area in a sole line region and a seam-receiving margin along theedge of said upstanding side portion and a toe covering plug having aseam-receiving margin adapted to be seamed to said vamp along saidseamreceiving margin, the method of shaping said vamp prior to saidseaming, comprising: securing said vamp from transverse movementgenerally adjacent said seam margin along said side portion and adjacentsaid sole line region, securing said sole portion from transversemovement generally adjacent said sole line margin; and, laterallydisplacing said side portions relatively of said sole portion,stretching said vamp beyond its elastic limit generally in the unsecuredsole line region, thereby deforming said vamp such that upon releasingsaid securing means said side portions are generally upstanding and apocket-like depression is formed in said sole portion.
 2. The methodaccording to claim 1 including the step of heating said vamp to assistsetting said vamp in said deFormed condition.
 3. The method according toclaim 2 wherein the heating of said vamp is generally restricted to thesole line region.
 4. The method according to claim 2 wherein stretchingof said vamp occurs between two cooperatively shaped die members, onegenerally concave and the second generally convex including the step ofdrawing said vamp into said concave die at least up to said seam marginsubsequent to said stretching, flexing and drawing said seam margin downand thereby foreshortening said seam margin.
 5. Apparatus for forming aselected area of a generally flat workpiece such as the toe area of amoccasin vamp, comprising: a work supporting table; die means disposedin said work table corresponding in shape to the selected area of theworkpiece to be formed; means for securing said workpiece against saidwork table; carriage means movable relative to said work table; seconddie means disposed on said carriage means complementary in shape to andmovable relatively toward and away from said first die means; means forsecuring said workpiece from transverse movement on said second diemeans; and, means for sequentially actuating said securing means againstsaid work table and said carriage means whereby said workpiece isclamped on said table relative to said dies and a predetermined limitedarea of said workpiece is subsequently subjected to the action of saidcooperable die means.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said diemeans disposed in said work table has a marginal portion shaped tocorrespond to the feather edge of the toe area of a moccasin last andsaid securing means is adapted to clamp said workpiece to said tablegenerally adjacent said marginal portion.
 7. Apparatus according toclaim 6 wherein one of said die means is generally concave and the othersaid die means is generally convex and said convex die is disposedwithin said apparatus in an operable relation so as to carry saidselected area of the workpiece to be formed into the concave die wherebysaid workpiece is deformed and stretched adjacent said marginalportions.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said convex diemeans includes a generally raised flat portion thereon within the areadefined by said marginal portion and has means disposed thereon forsecuring said workpiece generally from transverse movement on saidraised portion upon contact therewith whereby in the sequence ofoperation of said apparatus the deforming of said workpiece is generallyrestricted to the portion thereof between said portion clamped to saidwork table and the portion secured on said raised portion.
 9. Apparatusaccording to claim 8 wherein at least one of said die means includesheating means.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said convexdie includes a rib projecting above said raised flat portion andextending substantially throughout said marginal portion correspondingto said feather edge.